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Released in November 2010, this newest addition to the PocketBook line has definitely made a gargantuan effort to leave the competitors behind in the dust. Only what was supposed to become a worthy rival, if not a coup de grace, to Sony, Kindle and Nook, turned out to be more of a hit-and-miss – for several reasons.

Design and Ergonomics

Just like with earlier models, the manufacturer sticks to sleek appearances with a bare minimum of things to push, adjust, slide, tackle, click or take out. One might think that, with so many features and pieces of software crammed into a single device, more buttons should be in order. However, PocketBook Pro 602 utilizes a very clever solution to this problem, which I’ll explain later on.

The weight of this e-reader barely exceeds 8 ounces, due to its efficient metal-and-plastic frame; durability is not traded for feather-light weight, so one could say that PocketBook Pro 602 can take a beating. The screen is made of glass, but is surprisingly less prone to glare as compared to PocketBook 302, for example. In addition, the materials of the device are more or less insensitive to smudging and such like mistreatment by careless users. It still doesn’t mean that the e-reader can be bathed in a coffee-pot though.

Although the device is not as thin as, say, Kindle, holding it in one’s hands and carrying it around would be easy even for a toddler. So, in terms of ergonomics and subsequent “mechanical” comfort, PocketBook Pro 602 does a superb job.

Hardware

Pocketbook Pro 602 features a no-longer-state-of-the-art Vizplex screen, which performs quite well, but can’t match in terms of contrast and sharpness with Pearl technology. The difference is noticeable, yet far from critical – it is nevertheless pleasant to read.

The device is considerably slower than its rivals – true, the loading time is remarkably fast, but it takes more time to refresh the screen after the page is “turned”. Users are now accustomed to more productive e-readers, so this lack of speed, even though insignificant, is detectable – much like the slightly bleaker Vizplex screen.

Built-in memory amounts to 2 GB, of which slightly over 1 GB is actually usable. PocketBook Pro 602 supports external memory drives with up to 32 GB storage capacity. Most libraries in the world could fit in this much space.

The battery can last for up to a month of reading, equivalent to clicking through 14,000 pages. This is quite enough for a vacation or a ruthless reading spree in the middle of the season. Being hooked up on wi-fi, playing music or using text-to-speech, predictably, is going to drain the juice faster, but PocketBook Pro 602 is still able to last for over a week of such a marathon.

Software and Features

Advanced text-to-speech modules, highly customizable controls, a variety of software, wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as the support of an amazing 16 e-book formats were the key points of the device’s marketing campaign. Did the e-reader live up to such high expectations? Well, it did – to most of them.

Speech synthesis is actually reminiscent of a human reader; 24 language modules in male and female voices are available for download on the website of PocketBook Ltd. Interface depends heavily on widgets, which makes it both customizable (clock, calendar or dictionary, anyone?) and at the same time cluttered with various stuff. Of course, one can always toy with the settings and sweep the desktop clean of all distractions.

Controls can be tuned to fit anyone’s needs. Every button has two modes – one, when it is briefly pressed, and the other, when it is held down. Various functions can be assigned to either of them, and this can be done to all buttons. This is one of those rare occurrences with e-readers when customizability is really useful rather than just confusing.

PocketBook Pro 602 can work with the majority of e-book formats, but is especially handy when it comes to FB2 files. As to the most popular format – PDF, its features are not groundbreaking, but pretty effective. The device supports Adobe Reader along with its standard application (PdfViewer), which allows using text-to-speech, page scaling and multi-page views.

Another distinctive feature of this device is the ability to “re-flow” the text, making small changes in the scale and formatting to allow a more enjoyable reading experience. However, it should be taken into account that, even with all those software functions, a 6-inch display is by no means suitable for quite a “rigid” format that is PDF. Anyone engaging in reading specialized documents with tables, graphs and charts, comic books etc., should consider investing in an e-reader with a 9,7-inch screen.

With FB2 e-books, PocketBook Pro 602 shows off its best side – rich formatting options and on-the-go adjustments can turn even a poorly put-together file into a decent-looking material. Considering that FB2 is also quite a popular format, going this extra mile is quite expedient of PocketBook Ltd.

Speaking of obvious flaws and under-achievements, I’d like to note the truly horrible web-browsing experience. First of all, the browser application for some reason is situated in the “Games” section (while some other users reported not finding it at all; they had to access the Internet via built-in Bookland store system of e-book distribution); then there is the absence of sensory keyboard – or any keyboard at all. All the symbols have to be selected and pasted by using the five-position button, which is tedious to say the least. To crown it all, there are browser glitches that could put even the most patient user off connecting to the Web from this device ever again.

Another minor lag I have experienced is the poor interaction of G-sensor (responsible for automatic page orientation) and the software. Sometimes it doesn’t switch between portrait and landscape modes, urging to prompt it with pushing a button or two – or simply waving around with the e-reader.

Reading Experience

As far as reading is concerned, PocketBook Pro 602 is a great device. It’s got all it takes to ensure enjoyable experience – support of multiple formats, customizable controls, great opportunities for adjusting and manipulating PDF and FB2 files. In this respect, I have nothing but good things to say.

However, once challenged beyond this area, it tends to “limp” at web-browsing and use of applications. Experience with web-surfing and notes reminds constantly of the absence of touch screen, while occasional glitches ruin the e-reader’s credibility as a competitive device in terms of state-of-the-art connectivity and innovative technologies.

The Bottom Line

PocketBook Ltd. seem to have tried painfully to jam their new e-reader with as many functions as possible – at the expense of overall impression that PocketBook Pro 602 makes. “Wasted potential” is what comes to mind when admiring near-perfect performance with various e-book formats and customizability of controls, then being stalled with less-than-stellar web browser and glitches in applications.

PocketBook Pro 602 would have made a great “electronic reader only” sort of device, had it not intended to seize the ground of new technologies with its Bluetooth and Wi-Fi features that are severely undermined with mediocre software.

We can only hope that a new model, PocketBook Pro 603, would prove a more balanced solution in terms of new technology and e-reading features.

- Pocketbook 602 Reader
- USB Cable
- Protective Case (Low Quality)

Technical Specs:

● 6-inch E Ink Vizplex screen
● CPU: 533 mHz, 256 MB Ram
● Wireless: WiFi (802.11 b/g) + BlueTooth 2.1
● 2GB of internal memory, microSD card slot for cards up to 32GB
● Widget apps: games, calculator, calendar, etc
● Notes, bookmarks, ABBY Lingvo dictionaries, search
● Text to speech
● Built-in speaker and 3.5mm headphone jack
● MP3 player
● G-sensor automatically rotates screen orientation
● Battery Life: 14,000 page-turns
● Dimensions: 182 x 132 x 10.6 mm
● Weight: 8.8 ounces (250 grams)
● Image formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, and TIFF
● Supported ebook formats: Adobe DRM, EPUB, PDF, HTML, DJVU, RTF, TXT, PRC, CHM, DOC, TCR, FB2 and FB2.ZIP